Thursday, 30 January 2014

Selmor Mtukudzi’s true love story

When it’s February, one cannot help but be a hopeless romantic. And when you have something to give you the excuse you need for being one, then what can you do but knock yourself out? Selmor Mtukudzi is that excuse. Her love story with music and her husband is nothing short of magical. It’s how she is such musical royalty too. True, only SHE gets to pull that one off. I mean honestly, living legends for a father and father-in-law, and a fellow musician for a hubby? Not forgetting of course how she is strikingly beautiful with a heavenly voice to go with too. Picture perfect doesn’t even begin to describe Selmor. So who is this fairy-tale princess? Take a read of a dialogue we had with her not too far back to find out.
TAW: How does it feel to be a Mtukudzi and married to a Manatsa? Those are some big names you have.
“It doesn’t feel like anything, it’s just me.” (Well we could definitely tell her how it feels! UNFAIR!!!)
TAW: Apparently your mom (Melody Murape) and aunt (Bybit Mtukudzi) used to sing together back in the day, what happened to the “sister in-law” duo?
(She laughs) “I don’t know. Was I born even? I heard they did a few songs that were hits though.” (Royalty doesn’t get better than that! Even the mom and aunt were in to music!)
TAW: We know you did a sound track for Godwin Mawuru’s movie at only 10! How was that experience?
“The movie was called ‘I’m the future’. Being 10, I was excited about acting and it was fun.”
TAW: And then you were part of a number of groups. What did you gain from them?
“I learnt a lot. Tanga Wekwasando was the first person I worked with after school and he helped me gain confidence and how to sing on a microphone (lol, apparently it’s an art, you don’t just sing on a microphone!). Kwekwe band was a different feel because it was a rock band, so it was fun. And Pax Afro was fun too. It was a youth band, we travelled a lot and working with Jonathan Moyo is just amazing – he’s a great man.”
TAW: And your hubby (Tendai Manatsa) is a musician too, do tell us about him.
“He’s a loving husband, great father, amazing musician and a great guy.” (ncooooh, isn’t that so sweet? But then again what would she say; he was sitting with us! lol.)
TAW: How is it working with him? Don’t you get tired of being with him 24/7?
“NO! We are friends. Before we started dating we were friends, now we are best friends, and you don’t get tired of your best friend do you?” (We are still amazed! 24/7! Wow! How is that for overdose romance?)
TAW: And you decided to part ways – musically that is. Why? (NB: This just means they don’t sing together, he’s still her production manager though. Complicated eh? We know.)
“We felt we were individual artists who needed to expand individually”
TAW: How did the two of you meet?
“We met whilst we were working with Tanga, but we got to be just friends. And then we started dating in 2004 when we met at Pax Afro and then got married in 2007.” (I need Kleenex!!!!)
TAW: When did you know he was the one you were going to spend the rest of your life with?
“After dating for 2 months I knew he was the one.” (And Tendai interjects “so why didn’t you propose?!!!” lol, aren’t they so adorable!!!)
TAW: How can you describe your music?
“My music is a fusion of Afro – beat and modern sounds, with some influences from my father’s songs”.
TAW: And this last December you shared the stage with Mokoomba. How was that?
“That was amazing!! It was the show of the year. We had so much fun, they are a tight band.”
TAW: What have you got planned for 2014?                                                                               
“Well, I’m gonna be working on my new album, doing some collaborations and videos too.” (Busy gal she is).
TAW: With Feb around the corner, what have you got planned?
“On the 14th, Tendai and I are having a show together at the Book Café, after not performing together for so long, so yeah, hope we get lots of couples come through.” (Hear that ladies? Book Café is the place to be on Vals!!! J.
                                                            The end.
                                         
                                           

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